Monday, 29 April 2013

Cardboard Box Puppet Theatre

I have saved nearly every cardboard box we have used for about 6 months.....cereal boxes, teabag boxes, birthday toy boxes and so on. I have been wanting to make a puppet theatre for ages and then yesterday we got a package delivered in a box just the right size!

I started by removing all the sticky tape holding the box together, then I cut the box down the short sides, leaving one side flap attached.

I then cut out the "stage" using a Stanley Knife. We then got to painting which is where Lucas was able to help.

Side note: From the start this was my activity, (and it showed when I got just a tad frustrated with Lucas' painting - the words "we are never painting again" passed my lips) it took this moment of frustration to pull me back down to earth and realise I was creating this FOR Lucas and if he wanted to paint it multicoloured, well then, that was just fine. :)

Once the paint dried we chose some material to make the curtains. I tried a few different ways to hang the curtains. Tacks, tape, blue-tac. I would have like it if the curtains could be drawn open and closed but I'm just not that handy when it comes to sewing. So, finally we went with the white glue.

All that was left to do was get the puppets out and put on a show! This worked well in our outdoor area on the table as it's just the right height for Lucas to stand up. We took the theatre along to Playgroup and it was a bit of a fizzer. The wind kept blowing it over. I would suggest if you intend on using this in an outdoor environment, some cardboard supports added to the back panels would work a treat.

What have you made using a cardboard box? Comment below and attach your photos!